1. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to a device and a method for withdrawing articles in the form of sheets from a stack of articles.
Generally speaking the invention refers to a method and a device for dispensing articles in the form of sheets from a supply. For example, the articles may consist of banknotes, and an embodiment comprising banknotes will be described below, although the invention may be utilized in other articles in the form of sheets, for instance printed or unprinted sheets of paper, posters, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Particularly in connection with banknotes it is of great importance that in dispensing the latter only one single banknote is dispensed at a time, as mistakes in payment may occur otherwise.
Many suggestions have earlier been made for reliably withdrawing banknotes one at a time from a supply in the form of a stack of banknotes. Rollers engaging the exposed banknote in a stack of banknotes have thus been utilized for thereby withdrawing said banknotes. Efforts have also been made to utilize the suction achieved by applying a vacuum for withdrawing banknotes one at a time.
As an example of the state of the art U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,691 may be mentioned. Said specification shows a supply of sheets in a magazine with a resiliently displaceable finger supported by a roller carrying along the outermost sheet in the magazine in such manner that the edge of said sheet passes by an edge of limitation in the magazine., The portion of the sheet carried along in this manner enters a recess in the roller behind the finger, and a second roller cooperating with the first one grips the edge of the sheet and withdraws the sheet from the magazine. This device requires the sheet to have a certain flexibility and will therefore not function in connection with for example banknotes which have been in circulation for a period of time and which may have sharp creases or flimsy structures.
It has turned out that all of the previously known devices have more or less pronounced deficiencies with respect to withdrawing banknotes of various qualities one by one from a supply with absolute accuracy.
The present invention approaches the relevant problem in another manner, and it has turned out that a device designed in accordance with the invention can handle most of the banknotes that may be found in the world, not only new ones but also banknotes which have been in circulation for a period of time.